Method for the production of cigars



3 Sheets-Sheet l M R 4 Y mm. m Mb f m y K m w A r 1 N [VII \k\ f 5;; %\J\. u M YK ll l fdfl""hUHHH Hh I PHH-HHI ILHHHIII'IIIIIHHIJHGIPII I I IHHH I I I- ""l h-M 1 B MM g- M 3 PM whfiail I E I IL? 5 LL Q. I .,4 m w m \l km 7 Q\ March 1, 1960 G. E. CARLSON METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CIGARS Original Filed March 3, 1958 fraqlh March 1,1960

G. E. CARLSON 2,926,671 METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CWIGARS Original Filed March s, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Gav-4r 5. 642450 wail/e,

ATTORNEY March 1, 1960 G. E. CARLSON METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CIGARS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Fileq March 3, 1958 -BY will.

ATTORNEY United States Patent-O duction of cigars, andit relates particular to' an int; provedmethod and apparatus for the production of'cig'ar bunches formed of short filler tobacco and the resulting product. This application is a division of application Serial No. 718,867, filed March 3, 1958. i

The conventional machine for producing cigars from long-leaf filler tobacco includes a cross-feedconsisting of a bottom endless belt andlaterally spaced side endless b elts which define a crossrfeed trough into which the long-leaf tobacco is longitudinally laid. The belts are intermittently driven to advance the tobacco as a stream to, a cutting device which severs predetermined lengths ofwtobaccofro m the stream. The severed lengths o f fillcr tobacco are delivered to stacking mechanism which. deposits them into' a vertical compressed column. Measured charges of tobacco are transversely separated frjomtlie bottom of the column and fed to the usual "cigar binding and Wrapping mechanism. i j

Machines of the above type and their. operation are illustrated and described in US. Patents Nos. 2,611,372 to P. Peterson; 2,603,220 to l. P. Durin 2,311,011 to H. H. Wheeler; 2,605,936 to R. E. Rundell, and others. While these machines are highly satisfactory for the pro ductiori of cigars from long-leaf filler they cannot be satisfactorily employed with short-leaf filler tobacco. As a consequence, machines of an entirely, difierent construction and operation are used in producing cigars withshort-leaf filler. The necessity of employing did? ferent machines for long-leaf andfsliortdeaf filler cigars is highly inconvenient and xpensive.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved machine for the production of cigars. i Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for the production of cigars. I

Still another object of the present invention is to pro vide an improved cigar.

A further object of the present invention is. to provide an improved machine and method. for the produc-. tion of cigars having either long-leaf filler or short-leaf. filler tobacco.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved methodand apparatus for feeding a stream of tobacco filler to a cigar-making machine, characterized by the ability to satisfactorily 'form cigars having either short-leaf or lOIlgJaf filler tobacco.

The above and other objects of the present inv v will become apparent from a reading of the follow des'criptioih taken in conjunction with accompany drawings, wherein: i i

lfigure. 1 is a side elevational view of a cigar-making machine constructed according to and embodying the present inventiom illustrated' partially broken away for convenience ofillustration;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof igure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 in Fi ure 2;

Patented Mar. 1, 1960 I Figure 4. is a sectional view taken. along line 4-4 in ii-sure 2;

Figure 51 is a side elevational view-of the trailing end f; the: cross-teed of the present machine, shownbroken away for convenience of illustration, and. illustrating the machine lacing up position;

Figure 6 is a perspective detail view of the trailing end of the improved filler cross-feed mechanism in accordance. with the present invention;

Figure'l isa top plan view of the trailing end of the cross-feed, illustrating the band former;

vigure 8. is'a sectional View taken along line 8--8 in Figure 3;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the filler transport band; i i v Figure It) is a sectional view taken along line 10- -40 in Figure 2 illustrating the' transport band in shaped condition;

. Figure I11 is a sectional view taken along line 11-11 in Figure 2, illustrating the tran'sport band carrying a stream of filler tobaccoj and.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a severed length of filler tobacco and band as deposited in the filler storage column.

-In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of an improved method for producing cigars comprising forming. a stream of filler tobacco carried on an advancing longitudinally extending band, successively severing predeterminedlengthsof. said band and tobacco stream from the leading end thereof, combining said out lengths of said band and said tobacco filler to form a coltirnn thereof, and. separating measured charges from sa'idcolumri.

v The. improved fcigar machine for practicing the above method includes a conveyor, means for feeding a'band tosaid conveyor to be advanced therewith, said band being adapted to carry and advance a stream offillertobac'co. therewith, means for severing predetermined lengths of s aidband and said filler stream from the leading end thereof, means for assembling said severed lengths to form a column, and means for separating measured charges'from said c'olnmn.""

Referring. 'novv'to the drawings which illustrate a preferred e'mbodiment'of thepr'esent invention which may be employed in practicing the improvedinethodfnumeral 1}; generally designates the cro s-reed section of the cigar malging machine, and numeral 12 the stream severiiig charge measuring and cigar bunching section of the machine.' It should be noted that section 12' of the machine is conventional and of the type described in detail in the' above identified Peterson patent as well'as in other of the patents referred to above. The cross-feed section 10 includes a horizontal support plate 13 extending longitudinally from the feed end of the machine to the section 12. Adjacent the opposite ends of support plate 1 3.are a pair of. openings 14 with which register a pair of longitudinally spaced drums 16 and 17 respectively, si itab yn pp rw or ot a ut rans e es, drinn 16 being intermittentlydr'iven and drum 17 being anidler. drurn. An endless belt 18 engages drums 16 and/1 7 and has an upper advancing run along the top ac at sup e Plat and a retu n below s pp rpl a g 3 .4 a r Disposed above support plate 13 are. two laterally separated pairs of longitudinally spaced, forward and reardrums l9 and 20 respectively, drums and Z0 being mounted forrotatio'n about vertical axes, the forward drums beihginter'mittently driven in synchronisrn with drum "116, the trailingdr'ums '20 being idler drums. Side endless belts 21 engage each pair of drums 19 and 20, the confronting runs'o'f the belts 21. being the ad vancing runs, parallel'toeach other: Extending along the confronting faces of the advancing runs of belts 21, and for substantially the full length of said runs and the full height of the belts 21, are guide plates 22 which have their inner faces closely spaced from the confronting faces of the respective belts 21 and their lower edge slightly above the top run of the belt 18. A longitudinal guard plate 23 covers the tops of each of belts 21 and of associated pulleys 19 and 20.

Mounted on the trailing end of support plate 13 in alignment with the feed channel or trough 26, which is defined by the plates 22 and the upper run of the belt 18,

is a rearwardly extending guide and forming member 27. Said forming member 27 includes a base plate 28 secured to the top face of support plate 13, and provided with a pair of forwardly projecting horizontal arms 29 which terminate in upright inwardly forwardly extending lips 33. Lips 30 are directed to the bight between the belts 21 and the guide plates 22. A pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending guide bars 32 are disposed on the top face of base plate 28* and terminate at a point rearwardly of lips 30, and disposed laterally outwardly of the leading ends of lips 30. A circular opening 33 is formed in base plate 28 rearwardly of the trailing edge of support plate 13, the function of which will be hereinafter set forth.

The mechanism for supplying a continuous transport band B to the cross-feed includes an upright 34 which is located adjacent the rear corner of the feed assembly 10. Mounted adjacent the upper end of upright 34 is a hori zontal transverse axle 36 which rotatably carries a spindle 37. Spindle 37 includes a hub portion which'is provided with a. peripheral flange 38 located between the ends of axle 36 and which carries a roll 39 of the band B wound upon any suitable spook-as 49. An end plate 41 retains spool or bobbin 40 and roll 39 in position on the hub, and is releasably locked by means of a separable nut 42. A brake drum 43 is affixed to the hub and is disposed on the opposite side of flange 38. A flexible brake band 49 passes about the upper periphery of brake drum 43, and has one end thereof secured to a rod 50 projecting laterally from upright 34 below axle 36. The other end of brake band 49 is secured by way of a helical tensio'n spring 51 to the free end of a rearwardly upwardly inclined bracket arm 52, the inner end of which is pivoted to a shaft bracket 53. The brake band 49 and brake drum 43 function to impart a retarding torque to the roll-supporting hub rod in order to prevent backlash.

Projecting laterally from the upper end of bracket arm 52 is an axle 54 which supports a freely rotatable guide roller 56. Guide roller 56 is movable with the bracket arm 52 between a lower 'guide'position, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 6 of the drawing, and an upper position. A latching arm 57 has its inner end pivotally connected to upright 34, and has formed therein a pair of forwardly and downwardly directed recesses 58 and 59 respectively. Bracket arm 52 may be locked in its rear depressed operable po'sition by bringing the inner end of axle 54 into registry with recess 59, or in its forward upper inoperative position by bringing axle 54 into registry with recess 58.

A pressure roller supporting yoke 60 includes an upper cross pin- 61 projecting laterally from the free end of a swingable arm 63 pin-connected to upright 34. Depending from cross pin 61 are a pair of laterally spaced legs- 64 which are separated by a cross bar 65 disposed below pin 61 and secured to legs 64. A shaft 66 is carried by and between the lower ends of yoke legs 64, one end projecting laterally beyond leg 64 away from upright 34. Supported by shaft 66 between yoke arms 64 is a freely rotatable pressure roller 67 which registers with the trough 26 and is gravity-urged towards the upper run of endless belt 18. A radially extending arm 68 is secured to the laterally projecting portion of shaft 66, and is normally downwardly and forwardly inclined when the pressure roller 67 rests substantially on the upper run of belt 18. Pressure roller 67 may be raised to an elevated position by swinging yoke 60 clockwise, as seen in Figures 1, 5 and 6 of the drawings, and by swinging arm 63 counterclockwise. It may be supported in a raised position by swinging arm 68 counterclockwise and permitting it to come to rest in a vertical position upon support plate 13, as seen in Figure 5 of the drawing.

A light beam projector 70 is carried on a rearwardly projecting support arm 71 mounted on upright 34 between the upper and lower ends thereof. Projector 70 includes an electric lamp and a lens system to direct a beam of light through opening 33 in the base plate of former 28 toward the aperture of photoelectric relay 72. Photoelectric relay 72 is of conventional construction, and is enclosed in a suitable housing, mounted below support plate 13 by means of a bracket 73 depending from plate 13. Photoelectric relay 72 is coupled in a conventional manner, to the main drive motor 72a of the machine so as to disconnect the motor and inactivate the machine upon a beam of light passing through the aperture in the photoelectric relay.

A shield or mask 74 is mounted on bracket 60 and extends upwardly and rearwardly thereof in alignment with legs 64. When pressure roller 67 is in operative position, urged towards the upper run of belt 18, as best seen in Figures 1 and 6 of the drawing, shield 74 is out of the'path of the light beam extending from projector 70. However, as seen in Figure 5 of the drawing, when pressure roller 67 is raised to inactive position, shield 74 is swung into a position intercepting the light beam from projector 70 thereby to trigger photoelectric relay 72 to engage the drive motor and activate the machine.

A switch 76 is provided with a roller-carrying actuatin'g arm 77 which is movable by support arm 52 between a raised position and a depressed position. When roller 56 is in normal operating position, in registry with latch arm recess 59, switch arm 77 is depressed. When roller 56 and the arm 52 are elevated, switch arm 77 moves to a raised position thereby to actuate switch 76. Ann 52 may be latched in raised position by bringing axle 54 into engagement with recess 58. Switch 76 is so connected that the machine drive motor is disengaged upon elevatio'n of switch arm 77 consequent to the raising of roller 56 and arm 52.

Disposed above the discharge end of feed trough 26 is a support bracket 78 provided with longitudinally spaced. vertical bores 79 and 80, which respectively slidably engage a guide rod 81 and a reciprocating actuation shaft 82. A horizontal presser foot 83 is supported at the lower ends of the guide rod and shaft 81 and 82, and registers with the feed channel 26. Hinged to the trailing end of presser foot 83 is an upwardly and rearwardly directed plate 84 terminating in a trailing upwardly curved portion 86. A rearwardly directed arm 87 is pivoted to bracket 78 andcarries at its trailing end a depending link 88, the lower end of which is pivoted to extension arm of plate I 84. Hinged adjacent the trailing end of presser foot 83 is an upwardly directed rod 89 which passes through anopen formed in arm 87 and carries helical compression spring 90. Helical spring 90 is adjustably entrapped between the upper face of arm 87 and a nut 91 engaging the upper threaded end of rod 89.

A vertical magazine 96 is provided in which is loaded is intermittently r'eciprocated, by way of a compression spring 102, into registry with magazine 96 adjustably to compress tobacco in magazine 96 with a predetermined pressure. A support plate 103 is disposed adjacent the upper mouth of magazine 96 just below the top face of bridge member 99, and is transversely movable into and out of registry with the mouth of magazine 96.

Disposed directly below magazine 96 is a transversely movable measuring chamber or metering frame 104, normally in vertical alignment with magazine 96. The confronting end faces of magazine 96 and metering frame 104 are vertically spaced to accommodate a transversely movable severing blade 106. A pressure head 107 is carried on a vertically reciprocating rod 108, and is periodically brought into registry with metering frame 104 when the latter is in vertical alignment with magazine '96.

A vertically reciprocating cutter 110 is disposed above the trailing end of magazine 96 and includes a corrugated blade 111. Disposed below and in vertical alignment with blade 111 is a ledger plate 112 which projects forwardly from the bridge 99 immediately above the level of support plate 103. It should be noted that the rear wall of magazine 96 has its inner face corrugated substantially in vertical alignment with ledger plate 112. Metering frame 104 is laterally movable from magazine 96 to a bunch-rolling mechanism of any well known construction. A detailed description of the cigar-making machine of the nature above described is set forth in the above identified Peterson patent as well as in the various patents referred to therein.

Considering now the operation of the improved machine, band B as taken from supply roll 39 is initially inserted in the machine by raising pressure roller 67 and withdrawing the band B from roll 39, passing it under roll 56 along former plate 27, the sides of the band being bent upwardly as at C and directed into the bight between conveyor belts 21 and guide plates 22. The roller 67 is then permitted to bear upon the upper surface of band B, urging it into frictional engagement with the upper run of conveyor belt 18. The machine motor is then activated and short-leafed tobacco T deposited in the trough 26 upon the advancing band B. As thev stream of tobacco carried by band B approaches the discharge end of trough 26, it is compressed by pressure plate 83 and extension 84. The tobacco stream is then advanced beyond the discharge end of conveyor 18 by channel-shaped band B which possesses longitudinal rigidity by reason of the upright side walls C. Conveyor 18 then stops and presser foot 100 and cutter 110 are depressed, the presser foot firmly holding the leading end of the tobacco stream and band against thereciprocable support plate 103 while blade 111 effects the cutting from said tobacco stream, said leading end of the tobacco stream and band which defines a predetermined length thereof in accordance with the increment of the advance of the stream as aforesaid which, as illustrated, is equal to the length of the magazine.

Upon descent of cutter 110, support plate 103 is rapidly withdrawn so that the severed length of tobacco and the supporting band falls into the stack or column D of tobacco and band in the magazine 96, the descending presser foot 100 compressing the assembled stack of tobacco and severed bands. During the descent of presser foot 100, head 107 moves slightly upwardly in metering frame 104 so that the compressed stack of tobacco and band is supported between the confronting faces of foot 100 and head 107, the height of head 107 and the metering frame 104 determining the amount of the tobacco charge. Thereafter, cutting blade 106s1ides between the magazine 96 and the metering frame 104 to sever a charge of tobacco from stack D. Head 107 is then depressed to the lower level of frame 104, which is transversely moved to deliver the charge of tobacco to the bunching mechanism. It should be noted that the band B is formed of reconstituted tobacco which is somewhat friable and that band B, while it may be crushed to some extent in the stack or in the metered charge, substantially maintains its integrity. Examples of a material which may be employed as the band are set forth in US. Patents Nos. 2,592,553 and 2,706,695. Other types of reconstituted tobacco may, of course, be used including those employing a water-insoluble binder.

When roll 39 of band B is exhausted, opening 33 in the former plate base 28 is uncovered thereby permitting a beam of light from the projector to enter the aperture of the photoelectric relay 72 to deactivate the machine. A new roll may then be placed in the machine and the material relaced in the machine in the manner above set forth. In the event that, for some reason, it is desired to stop the machine, this may be accomplished simply by raising the roller 56 and the arm 52 to deactivate switch 76.

While there have been described and illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, while the present invention has. been illustrated as applied to a cigar machine in which the severed lengths of tobacco filler and band are stored as a vertical column it may be applied to other types of cigar-making machinery in which the severed lengths may be otherwise stored, such as in a horizontal storage or stock.

I claim:

1. The improved method of producing cigars comprising disposing a stream of filler tobacco on an advancing longitudinally extending supporting band, successively severing predetermined lengths of said band and tobacco stream from the leading end thereof, combining said cut lengths of band and tobacco filler to form a transversely extending stack thereof, separating a measured charge from said stack, and thereafter shaping and wrapping said charge in a binder sheet to form a cigar.

2. The improved method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said band is provided with longitudinally extending deformations to impart longitudinal rigidity thereto.

3. The improve-d method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said band is of a combustible material.

4. The improved method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said band is formed of reconstituted tobacco.

5. The improved method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said filler tobacco is short-leafed.

6. The improved method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said band is substantially U-shaped in transverse section.

7. The improved method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said stack is in the form of a vertical column.

8. The improved method in accordance with claim 7, wherein said cut lengths are superimposed on the top of said column and the measured charges are separated from the bottom thereof.

9. The improve-d method in accordance with claim 1, including the step of serrating the trailing and leading end of said severed predetermined length of said band and tobacco.

10. The improved method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cut lengths are delivered to one end of said stack and said measured charges separated from the other end thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 86,369 Consuegra et a1. Feb. 2, 1869 2,737,186 Molins et a1. Mar. 6, 1956 2,769,734 Bandel Nov. 6, 1956 

